Ontario has not yet committed to its goal of building 1.5 million housing units over 10 years
Alison Jones
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack introduced the legislation on Thursday, which he said would streamline the approval process and allow developers to build homes faster.
“Simply put, building infrastructure and housing in Ontario takes too long and costs too much,” he told a news conference.
“This legislation continues to build on the work we have done before, creating the conditions for homebuilders to do what they do best, which is build.”
But when asked if that would be enough to spur the industry to get the province to its goal of 1.5 million homes, Flake was noncommittal.
“I’m committed to getting the shovel in the ground faster,” he said. “I’m looking at starting this thing in the next six to 12 months. The future is the future. We’re in a housing crisis. We get it.”
Despite the government adding various new categories such as university dormitories, Ontario’s final tally of housing starts in 2024 remains well below the levels needed to achieve 1.5 million housing units, and financial accountability officials said housing starts in the first quarter of 2025 were at their lowest level since 2009.
Housebuilders say one of the most helpful measures the government can take to encourage development is to reduce taxes and fees.
Measures in Flake’s legislation include banning the city of Toronto from requiring green roofs and targeting other so-called green standards, speeding up the creation of transit-oriented communities, allowing for some minor differences, and facilitating ministers to enact zoning orders more quickly, bypassing the normal planning process.
Dave Wilkes, president and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association, said he welcomed the legislation.
“This bill recognizes and emphasizes the importance of delivering housing supply more quickly, at the scale and cost to meet the needs of Ontario families,” he wrote in a statement.
The legislation also aims to address some rental issues, including delays with landlord and tenant boards, and shorten tenants’ notice periods for eviction for non-payment of rent.
In addition, the bill also contains a number of transportation projects, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said, including ensuring that commercial truck drivers on Ontario’s roadways, especially northern highways such as Highways 11 and 17, are better equipped to deal with road conditions such as heavy snow.
“One of the changes being made here is the mandatory licensing waiting period for Canadian driving experience to be at least one year, which will ensure that individuals here experience a variety of road conditions before they are eligible for a commercial vehicle license,” he said.
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Allison Jones Canada News Housing starts housing supply targets Ontario government Rob Flack
Last modified: October 23, 2025
